Bredesen offers $50,000 reward for Lester Street killers

NASHVILLE - Calling the killings "heinous acts," Gov. Phil Bredesen has authorized a $50,000 state reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the slayings of four adults and two children on Lester Street in Memphis last weekend, his office announced this evening.

It is the highest state reward offered during Bredesen's five years as governor and is believed to be the highest or among the highest ever authorized by the state in a murder investigation. The governor's press office said it has immediate access to reward records during the current administration.

In addition, the Memphis City Council has authorized a $30,000 reward through Crime Stoppers, pushing the total to $80,000. Anyone with information that may be of assistance in the investigation is urged to contact Memphis Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH (2274).

The governor offered the state reward in response to requests made earlier today by Dist. Atty. Gen. Bill Gibbons and County Mayor A C Wharton.

"These were heinous acts and those responsible need to be brought to justice," said Bredesen. "I'm offering this reward to assist local officials in their efforts to solve these terrible crimes. I hope this reward will help spark leads in the investigation and bring resolution to the case as quickly as possible."

The reward is authorized "to the person or persons providing information leading to the apprehension, arrest and conviction of any person responsible for the apparent murder of four adults and two children, and the apparent attempted murders of three children," according to the governor's press statement and a letter to Gibbons.

The victims were found by the Memphis Police Department Monday night. The three surviving children are in isolation at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center.

State law authorizes the governor to offer a reward for information leading to the apprehension, arrest and conviction of persons involved in certain criminal activities.

"We very much appreciate the governor acting so quickly to help the Memphis police solve this horrific crime," Gibbons said in the press statement. "This brutal act of violence against four adults and five children is deplorable. We in the Shelby County D.A.'s office will do all we can to make sure the person or persons responsible for this crime are punished according to our state laws."

Cecil Dotson, Hollis Seals, Shindri Roberson, Marissa Rene Williams and two children, who have not been publicly identified, were killed in the apparent murders in the Binghamton community.